


Beneath the Mask

by timahina



Series: ZarcRay Week 2019 [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, ZarcRay Week (Yu-Gi-Oh)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-21 08:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18139952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timahina/pseuds/timahina
Summary: Ray discovers that maybe the myth of the Demon Duelist wasn’t exactly what it’s all cracked up to be.





	Beneath the Mask

There was endless gossip regarding the current star of the dueling world, the entertainment duelist only known as Zarc. Known for his captivating and violent style; he wasn’t afraid to pull out any punches, no mercy given in his duels and yet each time, he made the audience believe this time would be different. It made sense he would capture the attention of the world.

But he was also absurdly handsome and tragically single which attracted a… _different_ sort of gossip about him.

“I bet he goes all night.”

“He shows such finesse in the field, how much ya wanna bet he’s got some moves in the bedroom?”

“OMG, what if he’s _that_ rough?!”

“Honestly, I bet his dirty talk is _super_ dirty and he can say whatever he wants to me.”

“Ya think he’s got a hidden dragon in those pants?”

“You did not just say that!”

“What?! I’m just saying…!”

“How big ya think it is?”

Ray sighed heavily as she buried her nose deeper into her book, trying her best to ignore the conversation regarding Zarc. He was everywhere; in dueling magazines, on the news, billboards, advertisements. It was completely ridiculous that she couldn’t even go to a coffee shop and just relax without hearing about him.

And mostly, she didn’t want to disappoint those girls about the difference between the man and myth.

There would be a moment where Ray could look back and find this funny. To get past the embarrassment and awkwardness of that night. She just hadn’t realized that when Zarc had said he didn’t have much experience, he meant that there was none.

Maybe he just wasn’t used to being ridden or had mostly submissive partners or hell, had only done this once or twice and only experience the gentlest love-making. She hadn’t expected him to cum so quickly, to be so completely unsatisfied - all because Zarc was a virgin and wasn’t used to anything that wasn’t his hand.

High and mighty Sakaki Zarc, the up and coming duelist with the biggest ego she had seen in a while, the man with a devilish grin and flirty words that made her blush and go weak… that man was a virgin and not even just that.

He lasted barely a minute.

It had been a few days and he hadn’t messaged her. And she hadn’t messaged him. Clearly, he had been much too embarrassed that he didn’t live up to the image she had of him.

Like those poor naive girls, she too was under the impression that Zarc was a force of nature in _and_ out of the field of battle. Perhaps she shouldn’t have expected so much and maybe she had gone too fast? But he could’ve told her to slow down… she could’ve sympathized and understood.

Ray slammed her book closed and groaned. It wasn’t worth hearing those girls now compare who wrote the better insipid story of an innocent fan who tamed his violent heart with her magical virginal vagina. Instead, she just left.

She needed to go on a walk, clear her mind and not think about the demon duelist. But boy was that a challenge as every corner she turned, there was a large scale poster or interview on the monitors, his face on T-shirts… it was ridiculous! Was there no part of town that hadn’t been completely enraptured under his charm?

He was doomed to disappoint them all as he had disappointed her. But the strangest thing was she… she kind of missed him. It was funny seeing him off the field and nervously fumbling and twiddling his fingers around her.

Shy and nervous.

All the advertisements of him around her, the ego and violence were just a persona for the cameras. Sure, he had a cocky moment or two - that was to be expected from a duelist of his caliber. He had a sense of humor, she admired how easily he made her laugh since most of his duels made her ill.

Ray found his touch comforting, slow as she remembered how it felt like he spent every ounce of his concentration to know how to. His kisses warm and needy, not nearly as possessive as she thought they’d be or forceful like hers were to him. He spoke her name so reverently, as though she were the big famous popular duelist that he’d been lucky enough to grab the attention of. As though she were the prize...

It was so stupid.

She groaned heavily, throwing her coffee into a trash bin.

_Yea, screw this!_

Ray was getting tired of this and instead whipped out her phone, rapidly texting as she started moving down the street with a steadfast purpose.

 

\---

 

**Got a free minute?? I wanna come over…**

He gulped as he laid on his couch and stared at the message. From Akaba Ray herself. He was certain he’d never hear from her again and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to. That night was filled with blunders and his was the biggest of them all. The look of surprise on her face and disappointment in her eyes wasn’t something he wanted to relive. He felt mortified enough thinking about it.

Literally, he needed to tell her no. Or just leave it on ‘read’. That was best.

**… sure, where you at?**

_Shit!_

Of course he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to see her again. Well, she was probably across town and it would be a couple of hours or even like later in the day. Hell, maybe she’d ask for just a drink later in the week and give him plenty of time to mentally prepare himself for this next encounter. He could think of a good apology for his… ill-timed endeavor. His phone dinged again.

**Outside your building. Literally coming up.**

He threw his phone across the room as he fell off the couch in a shock - as though he were punched in the gut.

Zarc was running his hands through his hair, visibly anxious as he started shoving clothes into the hall closet and grabbing whatever trash had been piling up around the apartment into a bag and trying his best to make his bachelor pad look livable. Why was she coming up now? Couldn’t she have given him more notice?! Even if it was impulsive…!

He didn’t have time to think whether it was a good thing or not; he wanted to _think_ it was a good thing, she was willing to see him. Hell, _wanted_ to see him! But he needed to clean and sweep and-

A knock at the door.

The best Zarc could do was shove the bag of trash under the table and grabbed an air freshener, spraying quite liberally as he made his way to the door. He gulped heavily, his heart pounding as he opened the door - hardly having a moment to breathe normally. “Oh hey, afternoon - were you just… in the neighborhood?” Zarc tried to slow his breathing, distract her from seeing how frazzled he’d become. Small talk would help.

“No, I came straight here.”

_Goddamn Ray._

She pushed her way past him and neatly removed her shoes. He definitely didn’t invite her in but like hell was he about to stop her when she was neatly putting her shoes to the wall and hanging up her coat as though this was a daily routine she’d done there a thousand times already. A loose thought of her saying ‘I’m home!’ echoing about the walls.

But that was silly.

“Oh, so ya didn’t give me a bit more head’s up because…?”

Ray shrugged. “I was getting some coffee and some girls were talking about your incredible… _talent_ and I just thought I’d come see you. I know, super impulsive, but...” She chewed on her bottom lip, stepping out of the foyer but now at a loss of where to go or what to say. She was so focused on seeing him that she hadn’t come up with anything clever to say. To be honest, she didn’t think she’d get this far. “You’re not mad, are you? If it’s too awkward, I can always take a walk around and come back… later.”

A chuckle of disbelief escaped him as he followed behind her; Akaba Ray was not an impulsive woman. No, she had to have every moment planned and with purpose! The fact that she was compelled to see him… Zarc shook his head. “Nah, I could never really be mad at you. Hell, I just figured you didn’t want to come back after that um…” His cheeks reddened heavily, so much so that he could feel the blush spreading from the tips of his ears, down his cheeks, and even spreading to his neck. “I’m… I didn’t really mean to disappoint you, it’s just-”

“It’s really not a big deal!” She turned, and the blush on her was just as bad. “It happens to every guy! I mean, I haven’t been with _every_ _guy_ to know that - no wait, that’s not…! Ugh!” She could tear her hair out. This was harder than she thought and she just wished she knew what to say to make this all the less awkward. Not as though she could laugh it off since laughing was… probably not the best option.

He frowned. “No, you can be mad - you don’t gotta stroke my ego, I’m not a baby!”

“I’m not stroking your ego, damn it! I’m tryna be comforting!”

“... this is not a _comforting_ type of situation, ya know that, right? Like. I get it. You probably expected a wild night with ‘the demon duelist’,” his tone was pure mockery as he said his title before he scoffed, “and I definitely didn’t live up to my legend. It’s embarrassing as fuck, I know but it happened. I can admit that… I dunno, you fluster me. I didn’t know you’d move so fast and just…” Zarc was rubbing the back of his head, averting his eyes for the sake of sanity. An ill attempt to hide the shame burning within his eyes.

And now, Ray could laugh. “... it just… you could’ve told me to slow down. I would’ve…”

“And disappoint you?”

“I wouldn’t be disappointed…” No, she imagined his husky voice and shaky fingers begging for her to slow down, that he wanted to cherish the moment and prolong their pleasure for as long as he could. If anything, Ray would have sobbed in delight.

“It was still pretty bad though.”

“Not-” She watched her words, seeing his brows furrow. Ray always had a way with her words - always finding exactly what to say. Except now; somehow, Zarc had a terrible effect on her. “Ok, it was pretty bad but not _all_ bad…” Ray took slow and careful steps toward him, tentatively interlocking her fingers with his own, “I mean, you have nice hands… and you’re not a bad kisser.”

“Oh?” That was a good start as his trademark glorious grin began to unfold on his handsome face as he brushed his nose against hers, adoring her shy smile that crept in. “Did that make up for the rest of the night?”

“Well… maybe.” Ray pressed her lips to his, a chaste kiss and quickly pulled away before he could grab her, pull her against his chest and have the kiss go further… perhaps move toward the couch. “It’s enough that we can try again.” His heart raced and he tugged on her hands, trying to pull her close before Ray yanked her hands out of his eager grip. “But that’s for _another_ day, we have to go slow - remember?”

_Goddamn it, Ray!_


End file.
